This invention relates generally to manually operable vending machines for dispensing granular food products, such as the familiar coin-operated gumball, candy or peanut vending machines. More particularly, the invention provides a unique machine for dispensing food in granular form which can be operated by a domesticated animal or pet, such as a dog or a cat.
Food vending machines of the coin-operated type generally include a food container globe of glass seated on a rigid base or housing in which the mechanism for dispensing the food is installed. The housing is supported on a base plate which closes off the bottom open end of the housing. An elongated support rod or standard extends from the base plate through the housing, the dispensing mechanism, and the food container globe into engagement with a cap which can be tightened on the globe by means of a screw plug or other suitable fastener. Operably engaged with the internal dispensing mechanism is an external, manually operable actuator, such as a handle or lever, for actuating the internal mechanism to release the food to be dispensed from the globe into an internal chute and out through a discharge opening in the housing.
Such a conventional vending machine can require insertion of a coin into a slot in the faceplate of the machine for engaging the external actuator with the internal dispensing mechanism so that food can be dispensed. Non-coin operated machines also are known. However, both in the case of a coin or a non-coin operated machine of this type, manipulation of the external actuator requires both appreciable torque and human manipulative skill in order to activate the dispensing mechanism for discharging food from the machine. Clearly, if a coin-operated machine is to be operated, human skill to insert the coin into the coin slot is required.
The machine embodying the invention is constructed to permit a domesticated animal or pet, such as a dog or a cat, to selectively manipulate the external actuator means to obtain food from the machine. This machine is provided with an external actuator and an internal dispensing mechanism specially adapted to be activated by the domesticated animal for discharging animal food product in granular or particle form. The actuating means is movable through an arc of rotation between a first and second position in which the first position prevents discharge of food product and the second position enables a metered quantity of animal food to be discharged.